Thursday, February 18, 2010

It's an assured sign of spring that the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists have just been released. Now begin several months of hype, handicapping, and occasional conspiracy theorizing: on March 22 the finalists are announced, and on May 3 the winners get their medals.
Among the roughly 20 picks in each category, determined by a panel of 400 judges, are more than a few perennially nodded-to locals, and some newbies too: